Few thoughts
- Thought rigging was rampant, the mandate that PMLN seems to have gotten is by far a very CLEAR mandate... So, why is it that it is not being respected (I mean, rigging can't give them 50% of Pakistani seats... Pakistanis have voted them and preferred them clearly over any other political party). People not agreeing to your viewpoint does not make you right and them wrong.
- While it seemed on PDF that PTI will get something like 70% of the seats, the reality of 15% seats to them also shows that majority of the votes came from rural Pakistan? (This does also show new parties with low penetration and smaller established candidate base will always have difficulty in romping to power in a non-american kind of democracy. In US, People vote for a specific president and in India/Pakistan, people vote for leaders, who chose a PM). This also establishes a clear target for IK to figure out ways to reach out further into rural areas
- IK & PTI emerged as the second largest party in Pakistan. This is no simple achievement and is nothing short of a miracle. Give me one similar example (with one exception, I find there is none - BJP in India came into power thru this path only - 3 seats in 1970s to the largest political party in 1996). This is a HUGE achievement, in a country that has already seen 65 Independent years for a new party to emerge this strongly
- As an outsider, this looks like a momentous trend shift in Pakistan history and politics. Expectation of all IK's candidates winning enough seats to push him to Power were arguably very simplistic. Winning majority is not and should not be an easy task and IK supporters should see this as a major victory for them and also a major victory for Pakistan
- Another thing that I do not find people talk about. Folks, this is the first time in Pakistan history that 2 continuous elections have taken places without a disturbance. THAT is the BIGGEST victory and i feel that so many have just glossed over that hard earned victory as if it was never a problem
- As an Indian, it is nice to see peace falling in, a rancorous democracy (with so many differing opinions) coming up in our neighborhood and a solid majority Govt and a good opposition leader...
It might not be 'just the perfect Cinderella story, but this ain't short of it eitherways'. You guys should be very proud to have seen this in your lifetimes... my 2 humble cents!